1. Field of the invention
The present invention relates to storage containers for elongate materials, such as wire or cable, and methods of use thereof. More particularly, the present invention relates to a stackable, reusable storage container and interconnecting dispensing guide.
2. Description of the Background Art
Storage containers for elongate material are widely used in industrial settings. In particular, storage containers are used not only for storing elongate material such as wire, but are also used as a means by which the elongate material is fed into a machine, commonly referred to as xe2x80x9cpay out.xe2x80x9d Both pay out and loading the elongate material into the elongate storage material containers is generally performed using the Nehoff Payout System (NPS).
With reference to storage of elongate material, existing storage containers for elongate material consist of either small reels which contain approximately 6,000 lineal feet or large reel/barrel containers which contain approximately 15,000-30,000 lineal feet of elongate material. As a result of the two distinct classifications, industrial use is confined to either a mobile small capacity container capable of being moved by hand for use in projects requiring limited amounts of elongate material or a large capacity container capable of being moved only by machine for use in projects requiring large amounts of elongate material, some of which would be discarded, leaving barrels containing amounts of elongate material otherwise unusable for another project. Additionally, most small capacity storage containers are designed for only a one-time use, while most large capacity containers provide for only limited reuse as most contain left-over elongate material.
With reference to the pay out of elongate material storage containers, either capacity elongate material container serves a the source from which the elongate material is loosely dispensed. Generally, while machines receiving the elongate material are capable of much higher rates of production, the storage containers of the elongate material require the machines to run at a substantially lower rate due to tangling and over-spooling problems associated with dispensing elongate material at higher rates of production.
Several variants of elongate material storage containers are illustrated in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,078,269; 4,967,978; 4,140,289; and, 4,032,078.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,078,269, issued to Dekko et al, entitled, xe2x80x9cWire Shipping and Dispensing Container,xe2x80x9d discloses a storage container which provides for improved dispensing of elongate materials through a specialized coiling and storage method. The Dekko et al. container requires a special apparatus to be used in the winding process by which a small quantity of elongate material is strategically coiled inside the container. The container also requires another special apparatus for the shipping and dispensing of elongated material.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,967,978, issued to Roberts, entitled, xe2x80x9cWire Storage Reel,xe2x80x9d discloses a wire storage reel wherein a large quantity of elongate material is wound onto the storage reel while tension is placed on the outer wall of the reel. Upon completion of the material being placed on the reel, the wire may be removed as desired by rotating the storage reel in accordance with the at the rate of the desired wire dispersion.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,140,289, issued to Kovaleski, entitled, xe2x80x9cDisposable Wire Storage and Pay-Out Spool,xe2x80x9d discloses a cylindrical threaded spool having symmetrical conical end flanges capable of being disassembled for storage purposes. The spool is threaded to provide uniform installation and removal of large amounts of elongate material from along the body of the spool.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,032,078, issued to Van de Loock, entitled, xe2x80x9cReel For The Storage Of Wire Or The Like,xe2x80x9d discloses a circular reel including an array of bent wire forming the containment segments of the reel. The Van de Loock invention receives and stores large quantities of elongate material along the containment segments of the reel between two circular end pieces.
In response to the problems associated with storage capacity, mobility, reuse, and high rates of dispensing material, the above-referenced patents offer various devices to resolve the a fore stated problems; however, these known devices have limitations and disadvantages associated therewith. For example, certain elongate material storage and pay out devices require the use of specialized material installation devices, while other elongate material storage containers are not reusable given the method of material installation. Further by way of example, other storage containers requires relocation via a machine due to their weight with little or no possibility of reusing the container and still require a slow rate of production to avoid tangles and over spooling.
As a result, a need still exists in the art of elongate material dispensing and storage for an apparatus that properly and cost effectively dispenses elongate material. In particular, there is a need for a easily mobile, stackable, reusable storage container and dispensing guide to avoid tangles and over-spooling and increase production.
The present invention has been developed to overcome the foregoing limitations and disadvantages of known elongate material dispensing from storage containers, and to generally fulfill a need in the art for an elongate material storage and dispensing apparatus which provides for movable, reusable and stackable containers using a standard method of loading and pay out as well as minimizing tangles and over-spooling associated with high rates of dispensing.
An elongate material dispensing system, in accordance with the present invention includes a stackable, reusable storage container including outer and inner walls so as to define a substantially circular channel therebetween for storing elongate material and a dispensing guide supported by the container to prevent tangles and over-spooling as the elongate material is dispensed from the container.
Accordingly it is an object of the present invention to provide a fastening mechanism which removably secures the dispensing guide to the container. The fastening mechanism is situated at the lower portion of the dispensing guide and is removably received by at least one aperture within a wall of the container so as to enable one dispensing guide to accommodate multiple containers consecutively.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a dispensing guide including a main body, the lower portion of which includes the fastening mechanism and a cover which when fully assembled, creates a channel between the conically shaped interior of the cover and the main body, also conical in shape, through which the elongate material travels as it is dispensed from the substantially circular channel of the container.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a dispensing system including multiple flexible projections extending from either the main body or the cover, located between the main body and cover which further guide the elongate material from the container through the dispensing channel during operation.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a dispensing system wherein at least one of the inner and outer walls of said container include a means by which a plurality of containers may be stacked in a nesting configuration. The nesting configuration varies depending on whether the container contain elongate material, as at least one of the inner and outer walls include a means for nesting containers when full or empty.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a container for storing, transporting, and dispensing elongate materials including an outer wall portion, an inner wall portion concentrically located within said outer wall portion connected together by a bottom wall portion such that a substantially circular channel is created for storing a coil of elongate material. At least one of the inner and outer walls containing a means of supporting an identical container thereon in a nesting configuration and at least one recess to secure the end of the elongate material when not being dispensed.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a container with a means for receiving the engaging a fastening mechanism of a dispensing guide within at least one of said inner and outer wall portions. The means may operatively comprise of an aperture or hole for releasably engaging a protrusion within said fastening mechanism.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a dispensing guide for directing elongate material from a container to a machine to prevent tangles and over-spooling. A dispensing guide according to the present invention includes a main body having upper and lower portions with tapered outer surfaces, each tapering away from the center of said main body, a cover having a substantially conical shaped inner surface and an aperture at the upper most section of said cover, and a fastening mechanism including at least one projection along the bottom portion of said main body. Said fastening mechanism cooperatively engages an aperture of an elongate storage container.
Still anther object of the present invention is to provide a dispensing channel between the interior surface of said cover and the outer surface of said main body when said cover is operatively placed over said main body. Extending outward from at least one of said man body and said cover are a plurality of flexible projections which further direct elongate material from the container and through the dispensing channel.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide an engagement means between said cover and a container whereby said cover is prevented from rotating during the dispensing of elongate material.